Are Huskies Good Hunting Dogs?

Are Huskies good hunting dogs? Huskies are a very popular type of canine breed, mostly due to their exotic and fierce appearance. However, what most people don’t understand right off the bat is that the Siberian Husky is actually a very challenging dog to own. While they may be loving and caring, they have a mind of their own and aren’t easily trained. So what about when it comes to hunting?

So, are Huskies good hunting dogs? No, Huskies are not good hunting dogs. They were not originally bred to be hunting dogs and therefore don’t have the natural instinct to do so. On the other hand, Huskies also do not possess the temperament or personality to be a hunting dog. They cannot be trained to hunt, either, as it’s not a natural instinct and training is not a Husky’s specialty.

The beautiful, yet stubborn Husky is not going to be your best choice when it comes to a hunting dog. But why? There are actually several reasons why this striking canine can’t be used for hunting. We are going to discuss, in great detail, why you should not choose a Husky for hunting and why it’s essentially pointless to try and train one, too.

What is a Hunting Dog?

A hunting dog is exactly what it sounds like: a dog that hunts.

The hunting dog will either travel along with their owner to help him with his hunting process, but some hunting dogs will actually perform the hunting for you. However, this doesn’t mean that any old dog can become your new hunting partner.

In fact, most dogs aren’t capable of being hunting dogs. The only dogs that should be used as hunting dogs will have been bred for this purpose.

Being bred to hunt, these dog breeds have a natural instinct in them to perform hunting tasks and they can easily be trained to hone in on those skills.

Some of the dogs that have an instinct for hunting and were specifically bred for this purpose include the:

• Golden Retriever
• Irish Setter
• Beagle
• Bloodhound
• Pointer
• Labrador Retriever

If your dog was not bred for hunting, such as the Husky, does that mean you can train him? No. You can’t train a Husky to be a hunting dog. In fact, it’s essentially impossible to train any dog to become a hunting dog if they were not bred that way. It all comes down to the natural instinct, as well as the temperament and personality of the breed.

Qualities Needed to Be a Hunting Dog

Aside from being bred to hunt, there are many other qualities that a dog needs in order to be a successful hunter. Let’s take a look:

1. Temperament

In order for a hunting dog to be successful, he needs to have the right temperament. They need to be strong, dedicated leaders who can obey commands and enjoy the act of chasing after their prey.

Siberian Huskies do not possess these qualities. Huskies are basically gentle giants.

They are not aggressive or possessive in any way, shape, or form, especially when it comes to humans. They love to snuggle and be with their owners and have a good time. The Husky’s calm temperament wouldn’t allow him to ever become a hunting dog.

2. Endurance

If there is one box that the Husky ticks, it’s endurance.

Huskies have an incredible endurance level, as they were originally bred for pulling sleds across ice-cold lands.

However, even with this high amount of endurance capabilities, the Husky still isn’t the best choice for the job.

3. Intelligence

The more intelligent a dog is, the easier they are to train. While you still can’t train even the most intelligent dog to become a hunter, it does make things a lot easier when you take them out for a hunting trip.

The Husky is a very intelligent dog, but they are very hard to train and are incredibly stubborn. To put it simply, Husky likes to ‘do his own thing’. That kind of attitude doesn’t lend well during a hunting trip when he is being told to help with hunting or go after an animal.

Being the stubborn, somewhat independent dog that the Husky is, they also can’t be off a leash. The Husky likes to follow his nose and if given a chance, he will take off. During a hunting trip, you won’t be able to have your dog on a leash, so clearly trying to take your Husky out for a hunting excursion will leave you with a lost best friend.

4. Bravery

Last but not least, the hunting dog needs to be brave. After all, he might end up going after an animal that is larger than him in order to make the catch. Does a Husky possess this bravery and desire to capture animals that are possibly much larger than him? Most certainly not.

As we mentioned earlier, the Huskies have a very calm temperament. They are great for active families who enjoy having fun and snuggling with their canine. But if your Husky sees someone he doesn’t know, he won’t be one to bark them away. In fact, the Huskies are so loving they are likely to run up to anything or anyone with an accepting, loving smile on his face.

Can the Husky Be a Hunting Dog?

The verdict is in, and it’s very obvious:

Huskies can’t be hunting dogs and you should not attempt to train them to be one.

Huskies have a calm and loving nature about them. And while they are big and active, they still will not be able to accompany you on a hunting trip or go after prey for you.

This is mostly due to the fact that the Husky was not bred for hunting. His purpose in life was to pull large, heavy sleds across ice-cold lands. He ran in a pack and they were never used for any type of hunting. The Husky is certainly a powerful dog, but his stubbornness and independence stand in the way of his ability to hunt.

Also, do not try to train your Husky to hunt.

It is simply not in their nature and Huskies are particularly difficult to train in the first place. If you are in search of a great canine to keep you company on your hunting excursions, the Husky isn’t it and there are far better breeds designed for hunting.

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